No immigration reform in 2013, powerful U.S. lawmaker says

The top Republican in the U.S. Congress, John Boehner, ruled out that the House of Representatives would consider the immigration reform bill approved by the Senate, a stance that sinks hopes of getting it approved this year.

"The idea that we're going to take up a 1,300-page bill that no one had ever read, which is what the Senate did, is not going to happen in the House," the House speaker told a press conference.

"And frankly, I'll make clear we have no intention of ever going to conference on the Senate bill," Boehner said.

On Wednesday morning, two young immigrants confronted the Ohio Republican at a Washington diner to ask him for an explanation of the progress the House was making on the immigration reform bill.

The young women filmed their exchange with Boehner and the clip was circulated on the Internet.

Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), one of those who crafted the bipartisan bill that passed the Senate, reacted angrily to Boehner's comments.

"Speaker Boehner's comments are insulting to the majority of Americans who want to see comprehensive immigration reform," he said. "It has been over six months since Democrats and Republicans in the Senate joined forces, negotiated and passed an immigration bill that was approved by a supermajority." EFE